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It is amazing how one’s perception of a story can change after rereading it. The first few times through the story, it is easy to get confused due to the order in which it was written. Faulkner utilizes an unorthodox style where the order in which the story occurs is not of a linear progression; in other words the plot does not progress in chronological order. Reading the story a few more times helps to clarify this confusion and provides useful insight about how to interpret it.

It is apparent that the protagonist of this story is Emily. The author’s purpose for writing this story, however, is not so apparent and could be interpreted in numerous ways. One interpretation of the author’s purpose could be that he wanted to show that an adult, no matter what their “status” in society, will be directly affected by their upbringing. In other words, people tend to cling to the social status in which they were raised, despite what happens later in their life.

The setting of the story is the Deep South. The “social status” of Emily Grierson is established in the first paragraph where author reveals that she had “an old manservant - a combined gardener and cook”. Most families during that time did not have the means to employ a manservant. Although Emily’s family had one, it appears as though they perceived themselves to be living higher on the hog than they actually were. The story makes mention of their big house decorated with cupolas, spires, and scrolled balconies. This is not the common house of those times. Finally, the story alludes to the “select street” which was once filled with elegant homes. Emily’s family was a dying breed. It was a transition in time to a more modern approach to life. The streets, which were once filled with these nice homes, are being replaced with garages and cotton gins. The Grierson’s residence was the only home left on the street, which elevated their social status, in their minds.

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